17 Kan. 410 | Kan. | 1877
The opinion of the court was delivered by
On the 20th of May 1875, defendant in error, in the district court of Leavenworth county, recovered judgment against the Westchester Fire Insurance Company, for the sum of $150, and her costs in that behalf expended. On the 3d of July 1875, a writ of execution of that date was issued on said judgment, directed to the sheriff of said county, to execute against the property of said company, returnable in sixty days from that date, which execution was by William H. Bond, sheriff of said county, received on the 5th of said July. Bond never returned that he had levied or made the amount of the debt, damages and costs, or any part thereof; nor did he return the execution to that court on or before the return-day thereof, but on the contrary made a return to the effect that an appeal-bond had been filed, when nothing of
“Sec. 469. The sheriff * * * to whom any writ of execution shall be directed, shall return such writ * * * within sixty days from the date thereof.” (Gen. Stat. 220.)
Sec. 472, on the next page, reads— ■
“If any sheriff * * * shall neglect to return any writ of execution to the proper court on or before the return-day thereof, * * * such sheriff * * * shall, on motion in court, and two days’ notice in writing, be amerced in the amount of said debt,” etc.
If we give to this language its ordinary meaning, there can be but one conclusion. It is not that he may be amerced, but that he shall be. The duty of returning the execution within sixty days, is expressly cast upon him; and a failure to perform that duty as expressly subjects him to amercement. The terms of the statute imply no discretion. The command is positive and peremptory. The amercement is.
The judgment must be affirmed.